Air brake for airborne missiles

ABSTRACT

1. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising: AN AIRFRAME, A PLATFORM TYPE BASE MOUNTED ON SAID AIRFRAME, AN UPSTANDING SUPPORT TYPE STRUCTURE HAVING A FREE END MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, A FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF VANES EACH OF WHICH HAS AN END PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID FREE END OF SAID SUPPORT, EACH OF SAID VANES INTERCONNECTED TO ADJACENT VANES BY WEBBING, A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER CONTAINING FLUID MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, VALVING MEANS SECURED TO SAID CYLINDER, SAID VALVE CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID FROM SAID CYLINDER, A FIRST PISTON HAVING A MAJOR CONNECTING ROD HOUSED IN SAID CYLINDER, A SECOND PISTON HAVING A MINOR CONNECTING ROD SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MAJOR CONNECTING ROD, AND CABLES SECURING SAID MAJOR ROD TO SAID FIRST SERIES OF VANES AND SAID MINOR ROD TO SAID SECOND SERIES OF VANES.

United States Patent 1 5 7 Chakoian etal. Oct. 3, 1972 [54] AIR BRAKE FOR AIRBORNE WSSILES [72] Inventors: George Chakoian, Lincoln; Ruse]! EXEMPLARY CLAIM Crowd], East Greenwich, both of 1. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising: 731 Assignee: The United States of America as *Pframe,

represented by the secretary of the a platform type base mounted on sa1d airframe, Navy an upstanding support type structure having a free end mounted on said base, [22] Flled' 1964 ,a first and second series of vanes each of which has [21] 1 397 343 an end pivotally secured to said free end of said support,

h f d t t d t d t [52] U.S. Cl. ..102/4, 1 14/20 R, 244/ 138R g g fi g m ercormec e o a Jacen vanes 51 Int. Cl ..F42b 25/02 fl t 58 Field of Search ..102/4, 35.4, 3, 2, 37.1; a cylmder comammg moun ed on 244/138, 138.1; 1 l valving means Secured to said cylinder,

said valve controlling the flow of fluid from said [56] References Cited cylinder,

UNITED STATES PATENTS a first piston having a major connecting rod housed in said cylinder, l,626,3 X a e ond iston having a minor connecting rod wlley mounted on aid major connecting rod 2,857,510 10/1958 Haggerty et al..244/l38.1 UX and 3,228,634 l/l966 Chakoian et al.......244/138 X Primary ExaminerSamuel W. Engle AttorneyRaymond I.

Tompkins, Louis B. Ap-

plebaum and Edward F. Costigan cables securing said major rod to said first series of vanes and said minor rod to said second series of vanes.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 AIR BRAKE FOR AIRBORNE MISSILES The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in an air-to-sea missile delivery system. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for use in the control of the descent of an airborne missile.

In the past, airborne torpedoes were conventionally delivered to their respective water-home targets by aircraft which today may be considered to be of the low speed variety. With the advent of high speed jet aircraft, however, a need has come into existence for a delivery system possessing a greater degree of accuracy than heretofore required.

One of the major factors affecting the accuracy of delivery of air-to-sea missiles is trajectory control. In order to have a consistently reproducible trajectory, and greater accuracy, it is necessary to control the missile from time of launch to immediately prior to water entry. This would include control of desceleration-in conjunction with positive stabilization of the missile throughout all phases of its descending flight, and this invention is addressed to the accomplishment of such functions.

The primary object of this invention'is to provide an apparatus for use in an 1 air-to-sea missile delivery system.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for the control of the trajectory of an airborne missile.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for use in the retardation and stabilization of an airborne missile during its descending flight.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus showing the details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus in the launch position;

Similar numerals refer to similar parts through the several views.

As shown in FIG. 1, the device is secured on a supporting platform 11 of an airframe 12 which is adapted to engage the rear portion of the body of a missile 13.

The device, in the open position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, is composed of a plurality of vanes 14 each of which is interconnected to two adjacent vanes by a series of fabric strips 10. As shown, the vanes 14 appear to emanate from a central hub in the form of a series of interconnected projections. Each of the projections or vanes 14 is pivotally secured on one end 15 to a base pole or supporting structure 16 which itself is secured to the platform 11 of the airframe 12. The movements of each of the vanes 14 is' totally controlled by a hydraulic system 17 through a series of individual cables 18.

The hydraulic system 17 comprises a cylinder 19 of closed end construction having a lower side portion provided with an inlet conduit 21 and an upper side portion provided with an exhaust conduit 22. Both of these conduits communicate with a valving system 23 shown in block form, which controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the main cylindr 19.

There are a number of conventional valves which can perform this function and the device should not be limited to any specific type of valving mechanism.

The main cylinder 19 is provided with a set of dual pistons 24 and 25 each of which is provided with a connecting rod. The connecting rod 26 and 27 of each of the pistons is connected to one of the vanes 14 by means of a cable 18. The connecting rod 26 of the first piston 25 is secured to the first series of vanes 14a, while the connecting rod 27 of the second piston 24 is attached to the second series of vanes 14b. The second piston 24 with its connecting rod 27 is slidably mounted on the connecting rod 26 of the first piston 25 within the cylinder 18.

In practice, the torpedo 13 with airframe 12 attached is secured in position below the plane as shown in FIG. 4. When a predetermined air velocity is achieved, usually about 500 knots, the force of the air entering the device through the air scoop 29 will force the first series of vanes 14a to progressively open.

The opening movement of the first series of vanes 14a will be transmitted to the connecting rod 26 of the first piston 25 by a cable 18. At this point, a lanyard attached to the connecting rod 26 will initiate a launcher and the missile will become airborne. After a predetermined interval, further movement by the first piston 25 is transmitted to the second piston 24 and both pistons move together as a unit in response to movement of the first series of vanes 14a by dynamic air pressure. This is due to the fact that the lower portion of the connecting rod 26 of the first piston 25 is provided with a stop 31, which will come in contact with the lower surface of the second piston 24 as'the first piston 25 moves in an upwardly direction within the cylinder 19.

As the pistons 24 and 25 move in an upwardly direction, the fluid within the cylinder 19 will be forced into the exhaust conduit 22 which communicates with the control valve 23. The valve, by controlling the exhaust rate of the fluid in the cylinder 19, controls the speed of movement of both the pistons 24 and 25 and the ultimate opening rate of both the first and second series of vanes 14a and 14b. However, the opening movement of the second series of vanes 14b is ultimately controlled by the upward movement of the second piston 24 through cables 18. When the first and second series of vanes are fully opened as shown in FIG. 2 and 3, the drag force on the missile will approach 6,400 lbs.

At a predetermined altitude, the air frame, with the stabilization device attached, will be jettisoned. This may be accomplished by means of a timing device which will initiate a release mechanism prior to water impact so that all suspension and stabilization equipment will be cleared of the torpedo. After air delivery of the torpedo is complete, the torpedo will be ready for its water trajectory without any risk of propeller damage or bent shaft.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teaching. However, with present design, the weight of the device is approximately lbs. and it is stable within 1 5. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising:

an airframe,

a platform type base mounted on said airframe,

an upstanding support type structure having a free end mounted on said base,

a first and second series of vanes each of which has an end pivotally secured to said free end of said support,

each of said vanes interconnected to adjacent vanes by webbing,

a hydraulic cylinder containing fluid mounted on said base,

valving means secured to said cylinder,

said valve controlling the flow of fluid from said cylinder,

a first piston having a major connecting rod housed in said cylinder,

a second piston having a minor connecting rod slidably mounted on said major connecting rod, and

cables securing said major rod to said first series of vanes and said minor rod to said second series of vanes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby said first series of vanes actuated by dynamic air pressure cause movement of said first piston by said cables and, in sequence, movement of said first piston through contact causes movement of said second piston and said minor connecting rod which cause said second series of vanes to open through said cables.

3. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising:

an airframe,

a platform type base mounted on said airframe, an upstanding support type structure having a free end mounted on said base,

a first and second series of vanes each of which has an end pivotally secured to said free end of said support, each of said vanes interconnected to adjacent vanes by webbing,

a hydraulic cylinder containing hydraulic fluid,

a tubing circuit communicating with the upper and lower portion of said cylinder,

valving means provided in said tubing circuit,

said valve controlling the flow of said fluid from the upper to the lower portion of said cylinder,

a first piston having a major connecting rod housed in said cylinder,

a second piston having a minor connecting rod slidably journalled on said major connecting rod within said cylinder, and

a plurality of cables some of which secure said major connecting rod to said first series of vanes and some of which secure said minor connecting rod to said second series of vanes.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 whereby some of said cables cause movement of said first piston through saifl ma'or rod in response to openmg movement 0 sm first series of vanes by 

1. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising: an airframe, a platform type base mounted on said airframe, an upstanding support type structure having a free end mounted on said base, a first and second series of vanes each of which has an end pivotally secured to said free end of said support, each of said vanes interconnected to adjacent vanes by webbing, a hydraulic cylinder containing fluid mounted on said base, valving means secured to said cylinder, said valve controlling the flow of fluid from said cylinder, a first piston having a major connecting rod housed in said cylinder, a second piston having a minor connecting rod slidably mounted on said major connecting rod, and cables securing said major rod to said first series of vanes and said minor rod to said second series of vanes.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereby said first series of vanes actuated by dynamic air pressure cause movement of said first piston by said cables and, in sequence, movement of said first piston through contact causes movement of said second piston and said minor connecting rod which cause said second series of vanes to open through said cables.
 3. An apparatus for use in controlling the descent of airborne missiles comprising: an airframe, a platform type base mounted on said airframe, an upstanding support type structure having a free end mounted on said base, a first and second series of vanes each of which has an end pivotally secured to said free end of said support, each of said vanes interconnected to adjacent vanes by webbing, a hydraulic cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a tubing circuit communicating with the upper and lower portion of said cylinder, valving means provided in said tubing circuit, said valve controlling the flow of said fluid from the upper to the lower portion of said cylinder, a first piston having a major connecting rod housed in said cylinder, a second piston having a minor connecting rod slidably journalled on said major connecting rod within said cylinder, and a plurality of cables some of which secure said major connecting rod to said first series of vanes and some of which secure said minor connecting rod to said second series of vanes.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 whereby some of said cables cause movement of said first piston through said major rod in response to opening movement of said first series of vanes by dynamic air pressure partially open by the remaining cables in response to movement of said second piston and minor rod through contact with said first piston, the movement of said fluid through said tubing circuit controlling the further movement of said first and second rod thereby controlling the further movement of all said vanes through all said cables. 